This invention relates to floating lights, and more particularly to such a light that is more stable in use and yet may be folded into a compact unit for storage and transportation.
Outdoorsmen, such as fishermen, frequently need a portable source of light for carrying on nighttime activities, such as fishing which light source can be attached to an automobile or boat 12-volt battery. Oftentimes when fishing at night, or sometimes when fishing in murky waters, it is customary to shine a strong light into the water to attract fish.
Various floating lights have been developed for such usage, as illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,617,733 to Adams; 3,745,692 to McGee; 3,707,736 to Bass; and 3,464,139 to Eggers. While all of these lights are portable in the sense that they are releasably connectable to some type of battery source, all suffer from some common drawbacks. One drawback is that the configuration of the housing in which the lamp is mounted is such that a good stable floating light is not effected. If the effective square footage of support is inadequate (which most are) the light can easily tip over when used in choppy water or bodies of water in which there are waves (such as the ocean). On the other hand, if the lamp housing or the platform on which the lamp is mounted is merely enlarged, as suggested in the Adams U.S. Pat. No. 3,617,733, there results a bulky contraption which is not easily transportable.
Therefore, a floating light which, while having an effective support area large enough to provide stable flotation, is also easily stored and transported would be desirable. Toward this end, the present invention is directed to such a device.
According to the present invention, the device in its broadest aspects includes a light source having means associated therewith for releasably connecting the light source to a voltage source, which light source is mounted in a floatable housing. In order to make the housing more stable during floation, a plurality of arms are pivotally attached to the housing, each of which arms include buoyant blocks or pads attached to the free end thereof. So arranged, when the arms are spread for use, the effective cross-sectional area of the housing is two to three times the area of the housing itself. This provides a very stable flotation housing which is not likely to tip over during usage.
On the other hand, since the arms are pivotally attached to the housing, when not in use, the arms may be folded so that the device is relatively compact and can be easily stored and transported, even in a tackle box.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved floating fishing light.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a fishing light of the type described including a housing that can be selectively increased in effective buoyant area for use, yet folds compactly for storage and transportation.